Antenna and mounting means therefor



Jan. 12, 1960 w. J. FLETT 2,920,567

ANTENNA AND MOUNTING MEANS THEREFOR Filed Dec. 30, 1942 '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

WILLIAM J. FLETT ATTORNEY nite tates I I ate 2,9205%? 7 Patented Jan. 12,1960

I fice ANTENNA AND MOUNTING MEANS THEREFOR William J. Flett, Washington, .D.C., assignor to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy Application December 30, 1942, Serial No. 470,673

4 Claims, (Cl. 102-70) This invention relates to radio antenna units and more particularly to an antenna unit of novel construction comprising an antenna and a mounting therefor, which is simple, compact and rugged in construction, may be readily assembled or disassembled, and is adapted for manufacture at low cost.

The new unit is suited for general use in radio apparatus but because it is characterized by unusual ruggedness and simplicity, it may be employed to particular advantage in radio-controlled projectiles, such as bombs, rockets, shells, and the like, which are subject to rough handling and mechanical shock. Accordingly, the invention will be described and illustrated in the form of an antenna unit for a radio controlled proximity fuze for anti-aircraft projectiles, although it is to be understood that the invention may take other forms as well.

One object of the invention resides in the provision of a novel antenna unit for radio controlled projectiles, which comprises an insulating mounting, a generally conical antenna conforming to the contour of the nose portion of a projectile, and means for connecting the antenna to the mounting. In the preferred construction, the antenna is shaped to form the nose of the projectile and is connected by releasable means to the mounting which has a frustoconical portion forming a continuation of the contour of the antenna. I

Another object of the invention is to provide a projectile antenna unit including a metal antenna and an insulating body for mounting the antenna and'having a chamber for housing part of a radio apparatus, such as an oscillator.

A further object of the invention is to provide a projectile antenna unit in which the antenna is provided with a shield for preventing stray eddy currents from reaching parts of the radio apparatus.

These and other objects of the invention may be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view, partly in section, of part of a projectile embodying one form of the new unit;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the insulating body for mounting the antenna;

Fig. 3 is a detailed perspective view showing part of the connection between the antenna and the insulating body;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 44 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view at the nose of the projectile showing the arrangement of the electrical fuze therein.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 11 designates generally the upper end portion of a projectile casing containing a tubular structure 12 forming a can or barrel secured to the casing in any suitable manner as by screw threads and provided at its forward end with an external flange 13 and an internal shoulder 14. V

The tubular structure 12 supports a hollow block 15 for mounting an antenna, to be described in greater detail presently. The block 15 is made of insulating material, such as a plastic, and its forward end portion is of frustoconical shape, the block having a cylindrical base portion 16 which terminates at its lower end in an annular flange 17. The chamber A in the block serves as a housing for an oscillator unit, or the like, used in a proximity fuze. The chamber A may take any other shape than that shown to correspond with the shape of the oscillator or the amplifier, or both.

On the base of the block 15 is a base plate or disc 18 bent around the flange 17. The plate 18 electrically shields the unit or units within the chamber A from the battery and other electrical parts in the shell casing behind it. The flange 17, with the edge portion of the plate 18 bent around it, coacts with a locking ring 19 which is screwed into the socket defined by the flange 13, the ring preventing displacement'of the block 15 from the projectile casing. The locking ring is screwed into the socket until the rear end of the ring tightly engages the inturned edge portion of the plate 18.

As indicated in Fig. 5, the barrel or can 12 for-ms a container for the component parts of an electrically controlled fuze train, of which F is a fixed section, and A a rotatable section of a timing mechanism. The battery B. is connected to the section A to turn therewith, and the turrets T on the top of the battery B project into an annular series of socket S in the bottom of the antenna and the shield 18'. While the lock ring 19 is released, the fuze train is timed for detonation by turning a cap or antenna 24, and the section A is set or fixed in adjusted position by screwing home the lock ring 19.

The block 15 is reduced at its upper end to form an annular neck 21 and an external shoulder 22, and formed in the neck 21 adjacent the shoulder is an annular groove 23.

In front of the block 15 is the antenna 24 which is preferably spun, pressed, or otherwise formed in a substantially conical shape from aluminum, copper, or other metal. The shape of the antenna is such that it constitutes a suitable nose for the projectile and forms a continuation of the tapered contour of the block 15. The antenna has a cylindrical base flange 25 which fits over the neck 21 of the mounting block. Preferably, the flange 25 is reduced in thickness and is formed at its rear end with an internal locking bead 26, the flange 25 also having an annular series of spaced, longitudinal crimp slots 27. A clamping ring 28 extends around the base flange and rests against the shoulder 25. The slots 27 divide the flange 25 into an annular series of semi-resilient fingers 27a which are crimped inwardly by moving the ring 28 into place, whereby the fingers tightly engage the neck 21, and the bead 2 6 is locked in the groove 23. Thus, the antenna 24 is locked against displacement from the block 15. I

While the invention has been described with reference to certain preferred examples thereof which give satisfactory results, it will be understood by those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains, after understanding the invention, that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and it is my intention, therefore, to cover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In combination, a projectile casing having a socket in one end thereof, an antenna, a block, an electrical shield, means for locking said block in said socket and securing said shield to the casing, and means for securing said antenna to said block.

2. A projectile comprising a casing, an insulating block mounted in one end of said casing and having a recess for receiving part of a radio apparatus, an electrical shield mounted on the block and interposed between said casing and said block, and an antenna forming the nose of the projectile and secured to the block so as to close the recess.

3 In combination, a projectile casing, a block having an upstanding annular shoulder formed on one end there ofand an annular groove formed in said-shoulder, means for securing saidblock to said casing, an antenna having' a-substantially'cylindrical base portion adapted to fit over said shoulder of said block, said antenna having an annular bead on the inner periphery of the base portion and a plurality of axially extending slots subdividing the base portion into a plurality of yieldable .fingers, and means forsecuring saidantenna to said block including a clamping ring for compressing said fingers and binding the same to'the shoulder of'the block and for interlocking 15 said'bead vw'th said groove.

4'; The combination of a projectile casing, a tubular snpport'mounted in the casing and fashioned with an interior seat and internal screw threads, a hollow conical antenna forming the nose of the projectile and including a cylindrical base of insulating material, an exterior shield plate mounted on the base and co-acting fastening means on the plate and base, and an'externally threaded locking ring engaged in the internal screw threads engaging said base and plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

